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D minor stretch...

D minor can be a little bit of a stretch for a beginner, but you will soon limber up if you keep trying!

Dm requires a different type of hand position to any of the chords so far, but it is not hard to play. Place your fingers as shown, and make sure that your 3rd finger is not muting the first string. Also check that you are only strumming the four strings shown, just like you did for D.

You can use either fingers 1,2 and 3 to play this chord—as shown in the photo and diagram—or use 1, 2 and 4 if you find the stretch too much with your 3rd finger. See what feels good for you. Both fingerings have pros and cons depending on the circumstances.

Some people find it easier to place their fingers down in this order: 3rd finger first, then 2nd and then 1st. This is fine if it works for you, and can help you develop a good stretch. Eventually you will move all your fingers at the same time.

Some people find it a easier to angle the hand a little, pointing your fingers more toward your eyes than at the sky (or you could think of it as if your knuckles are a bit further away from you). This doesn't work for everyone, but experiment with your hand position to see what works well to get all the notes nice and clear.

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